BOONE, NC — Chan Metts, the reigning Big South women’s golf coach of the year who led Charleston Southern to a 2024 NCAA regional berth thanks to its conference title, has been hired as head coach for the App State women’s golf team, athletic director Doug Gillin announced Thursday.
“We are excited to welcome Chan and his wife, Whitney, to the App State family,” Gillin said. “Chan has coached championship golf teams and individuals. He aligns with our core values of academic integrity, competitive excellence, social responsibility and world-class experience. We look forward to the future of App State women’s golf under his leadership.”
A native of Dublin, Georgia, Metts was the head coach of both the women’s and men’s programs at Charleston Southern last season. He served as the head coach of WKU’s men’s program from 2018-2023, leading two individuals to NCAA regional berths in his first season with the Hilltoppers after serving as an assistant coach at Georgia Southern from 2016-2018 and a graduate assistant at the University of Sioux Falls from 2015-2016.
When Metts led the Charleston Southern women to the Big South title earlier this year, it was the team’s first conference title and NCAA appearance in 14 years. The Buccaneers featured the individual medalists at the Big South event and five all-conference players.
“I would like to thank Chancellor Heather Norris, Doug Gillin, Sarah Strickland and the selection committee for giving me this exciting opportunity,” Metts said. “App State has an outstanding reputation in collegiate sports and I look forward to building on that history with the App State women’s golf team. My wife, Whitney, and I feel so blessed to join the App State family and look forward to embracing all that life as Mountaineers brings!”
In addition to finishing first in the nine-team Big South field, Charleston Southern also finished first in a 10-team field at the Pine Tree Intercollegiate in late March. The Buccaneers earned nine top-10 finishes in 10 contests and five top-5 finishes.
In Metts’ two seasons as an assistant coach at Georgia Southern, the Eagles finished second in the Sun Belt Conference Championship two years in a row, and the 2017 team qualified for the NCAA Championships. Metts has coached several future pros, including Korn Ferry Tour members Billy Tom Sargent at WKU and Stephen Fisk at Georgia Southern.
Metts began his coaching career in Sioux Falls after playing at Georgia College and State University, where he joined the team as a walk-on in 2005 and later earned a scholarship. As a junior, he finished 20th in the conference tournament and seventh in the regional tournament, nearly helping the Bobcats to a national tournament appearance.
Metts and his wife Whitney have been married for 15 years.
What they say about Chan Metts
“As a former student, I am thrilled to have Chan Metts step into this role. I am impressed with Chan and his commitment to the future success of App State Women’s Golf. Winning a conference championship is never easy, which shows that he is more than capable of taking the program to new levels.” – Georgia Southern head coach and App State graduate Mimi Burke
